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Elder Abuse and Exploitation

The Family Protection Unit places strong emphasis on protection of the elderly, those who have given so much of themselves to us and Alabama. We owe a tremendous debt to those who made possible the opportunities we now enjoy, and we must be faithful in repaying our obligation to them. When their strength and vigilance is weakened by age, the rest of us must be strong and steadfast in protecting them. To better meet this need in Alabama, the Family Protection Unit is working with every state agency whose mission is linked to the elderly. Initially, these agencies will participate in a soon to be announced Attorney General's Family Protection Seminar for law enforcement personnel, social workers, and other professionals who are charged with the care and protection of the elderly. Afterward, a series of meetings across Alabama will be held with senior citizens to provide a network of information regarding their special concerns and needs and how they can guard against those who would victimize them.

1. Elder Abuse Investigations
• The Family Protection Unit, with the support of the Alabama Department of Public Health and law enforcement, will improve coordination and implementation of investigations into complaints of elder abuse. By working together, we can ensure that Alabama families can be confident that our parents and grandparents are being cared for in a competent manner by professionals without danger of abuse or exploitation.
2. Statewide Elder Abuse and Exploitation Seminar
• The Family Protection Unit will host a state-wide conference on the issue of Elder Abuse and Exploitation directed towards law enforcement officials, healthcare professionals, and social workers designed to focus on ways that professionals who work with the elderly can better detect, investigate, prosecute and eradicate elder abuse and how we can harness and organize these resources to better serve the elderly. This seminar will be offered at no cost to local officials and will be a tremendous resource to assist local law enforcement as we deal with this issue.
3. Regional Elder Abuse Prevention Seminars
• The statewide seminar will be followed by a series of regional seminars to be held at different locations around the state in order to help senior citizens educate themselves about ways to protect themselves so that they do not become victims of abuse and exploitation. These seminars will also be open to professionals who work with the elderly, but will be primarily designed to benefit seniors and their family members. The Family Protection Unit is working with the Department of Senior Services, AARP, and various other local and statewide senior organizations to ensure that any senior who wishes to access this resource will have the opportunity to do so.
4. Elder Abuse Investigations and Prosecutions
• The Family Protection Unit will work to establish a partnership with the Department of Human Resources and local law enforcement officials to combat the problem of elder abuse. The Attorney General's Office prosecutors will work with the Department of Public Health to investigate and prosecute elder abuse cases when they are detected in facilities that accept Medicaid funding. Additionally, cases will be prosecuted in which unscrupulous criminals prey on seniors financially through embezzlement, or by theft or theft by deception.
5. Elder Abuse Hotline
• Coordination with the Alabama Department of Senior Services is planned for the establishment of an elder abuse hotline. This hotline will be dedicated to the coordination of abuse complaints of family members who suspect that a loved one has been the victim of abuse or exploitation. This collaborative effort will be dedicated and oriented toward fielding those concerns and forwarding them to the appropriate regulatory or enforcement entity and then monitoring the response to ensure that the complaints are processed and handled properly.